Preview Round 21 Swans vs Port Adelaide

[RubbaDuck]

Four losses from our last five, three of those were losses to teams who are peaking nicely and may play us in finals. What began as a tintinnabulation from losing two on the trot has now become a cacophony of alarm bells. A rush of recent injuries hasn't helped. One wonders if we might have rested players earlier.

Now we can only hope we have the wins and percentage to manage our current vicissitudes while still maintaining our conservative approach to returning players. Perhaps we'll discover depth where we least expected to. Another Mitch Morton

Mitch Morton

Age

37

Ht

185cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.9

3star

K

7.7

3star

HB

5.2

4star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.5

4star

G

1.4

5star

No current season stats available

D

8.6

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

3.2

3star

M

3.8

4star

T

0.6

3star

G

1.0

4star

?

To avoid relying on other results we'll need to win three of our remaining games to ensure a top 2 finish. Fail to do that and we risk being pulled back into the amorphous blob of top 8 wannabes who are clawing at us from below.

 

[RubbaDuck]

Really don't know who should come in , Francis for Melican maybe but I am not against Hamling having a run as well.
Ladhams would get sucked into a lot of free kicks by the Port guys otherwise he could have given McLean a spell.
Wicks to go out ? If you are going to drop someone a small forward is probably it Wicks out throw Hanily in and see how he goes.
Port are Port solid top six team but never look like contenders. If we try and bomb it in they have multiple intercept defenders who will have a field day. Their midfield is decent but we should match it if we turn up.
No confidence at all we will get a result but at least have a crack this time around.

Francis' showing in the reserves was hardly awe inspiring. I'd like to see us settling our lineup rather than throwing more fresh bodies at a hypothetical wall to find one that will stick. Still, Hamling has been fairly consistent.

Wicks seems to play his best as an impact sub but losing another tall would be tough with a small sub. Perhaps Francis or Ladhams as sub. I suppose it depends on the weather.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Just like today its pretty obvious what Port are going to try and do push to a potential match winning lead in the first then hold us off as we panic.

Coaching staff???

 

[Punts]

Adams out

7 turn overs

Wicks was shocking

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Francis' showing in the reserves was hardly awe inspiring. I'd like to see us settling our lineup rather than throwing more fresh bodies at a hypothetical wall to find one that will stick. Still, Hamling has been fairly consistent.

Wicks seems to play his best as an impact sub but losing another tall would be tough with a small sub. Perhaps Francis or Ladhams as sub. I suppose it depends on the weather.

Point of order: it is a bit hard to be awe-inspiring in the ressies when you don’t actually play….

But I suspect you’re referring to previous weeks - in which case I’d say he was solid & certainly a better option than relying on Lizard & Logan as key defenders.

 

[Olian]

We’ll win this because just as quickly as you lose form you can find it.

If Melican and Hayward miss then Rowbottom and Francis to come in.

Parker to play the Hayward role.
Francis for Melican.

Fortunately SA is half an hour behind so that will help with our first quarters.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Is Konstanty fit lol

Least he might make a tackle

 

[The King!]

Parker forward, not midfield, he is capable of creating a goal than Wicks imo

I agree re Adams disposal was completely dogshit, but he got in there unlike others, but maybe he can be sub , He seemed under instruction to handball more , so they must have discussed? Not sure what they do there. He needs to get the ball to others, not kick it.

If Horse has Hayward and Melican forced out he wont make many more changes imo

 

[Olian]

Adams out

7 turn overs

Wicks was shocking

Heeney and Gulden had 7 turnovers as well. Roberts had 9. Blakey had 6.

Are they all ok to play?

Heeney had 7 clangers 3 more than any other Swan.

 

[Ed_Gein]

What better way to follow up a flogging by playing our bogey team we haven't beaten since 2016.

Things are looking ugly for us right now.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Heeney and Gulden had 7 turnovers as well. Roberts had 9. Blakey had 6.

Are they all ok to play?

Heeney had 7 clangers 3 more than any other Swan.

Adams goes where not many players wanna be he gives you a chance at least.

 

[The King!]

Adams out

7 turn overs

Wicks was shocking

You bag Adams no matter what he does

 

[Olian]

Adams goes where not many players wanna be he gives you a chance at least.

Along with Heeney he didn’t die wondering today. His disposal was poor but he was not alone.

 

[The King!]

You could be born and look like this now since we last beat port

 

[Punts]

You bag Adams no matter what he does

Like you olian do on Parker thread

Adams is rubbish if Parker is

 

[The King!]

Like you olian do on Parker thread

Adams is rubbish if Parker is

You bring Parker up anytime someone mentions Adams...you just did it again

He wasnt that bad today, his kicks were average, but geez wish a few tried as hard

 

[Wheresbuddy]

B Cunningham McCartin Hamling
HB Blakey Francis Roberts
C Lloyd Chad Gulden
HF Fox McDonald Jordan
F Mclean Amartey Parker
Foll Grundy Heeney Rowie
Int Florent Corey Adams Mills
Sub Cleary

Ins Hamling Francis Rowie Cleary
Outs Melican Campbell Wicks Hayward

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

I can 100% guarantee we will be on top of the table at the end of next round

 

[caesar88]

When was the last time Horse dropped someone who had 20+ disposals?

 

[Jack2Jack]

Going to sound harsh given he's only 2 games back from a long term injury, but Mills, as captain, either needs to put his hand up to find some touch in the VFL (where he can be properly managed)...or he needs to perform at AFL level. Him finding his A grade form is the one ace we have up our sleeve we haven't played yet (provided we get out of this rut), is him running around at AFL level not getting a kick the best way to get him form/touch?

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

I can 100% guarantee we will be on top of the table at the end of next round

Massive call mate hope you're right!

 

[Dubai Quacker]

You bring Parker up anytime someone mentions Adams...you just did it again

He wasnt that bad today, his kicks were average, but geez wish a few tried as hard

The thing I find hard to reconcile with Adams is that Collingwood didn’t see him as a mid. And they had plenty of years to decide.

And yet we do (see him as a mid).

I’m still not convinced, even though I do acknowledge he doesn’t shirk it.

But the big question in my mind is the opportunity cost: what could Cleary or Sheldrick be doing if given the opportunity to play the role Adams currently has?

 

[Dubai Quacker]

When was the last time Horse dropped someone who had 20+ disposals?

I’m sure it would have been Dyl Stephens, during one of his fortnightly axings?

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Going to sound harsh given he's only 2 games back from a long term injury, but Mills, as captain, either needs to put his hand up to find some touch in the VFL (where he can be properly managed)...or he needs to perform at AFL level. Him finding his A grade form is the one ace we have up our sleeve we haven't played yet (provided we get out of this rut), is him running around at AFL level not getting a kick the best way to get him form/touch?

Its to late for him to have a meaningful impact anyways and certainly terrible timing as the team is losing every week.

We got to 13-1 without him should not be factor.

 

[Jewelsbon]

Massive call mate hope you're right!

We will be next week, can't guarantee the following week though.